THE ART OF THE ICE AGE - EXPLORING THE DEEPER HISTORY OF ART

TROIS FRÈRES IBEXES

This is a fragment from a weighted spear thrower made from a reindeer antler. Using the broader, flatter palmate area at the top of the antler shaft, the artist has carved a pair of ibex. They are shown face to face on their hind legs, the front legs of one resting on the shoulders of the other as the horned heads, now missing, clash together. The bodies of the animals are shaded with fine incisions emphasising their anatomy.